There’s something I enjoy about looking at the first real estate numbers of a new year. We spend December talking about what happened over the previous twelve months, making predictions about what’s coming, and wondering whether the market is going to look different once the calendar turns over.
Then January arrives, and we finally get some actual numbers to work with.
I’ve always believed that the best way to understand our real estate market is to pay attention to what’s happening right here in Acadiana. National headlines can be interesting, but they don’t necessarily tell us what’s happening in Lafayette, Youngsville, Broussard, Carencro, or the communities where we’re helping people buy and sell homes every day.
And the January 2026 numbers gave us a pretty interesting place to start.
We saw more homes available than a year earlier, but we also saw an increase in buyer activity. Pending sales, closed sales, and showings were all up, while home prices continued to move modestly higher. At the same time, some properties were taking longer to sell.
Those numbers might seem a little contradictory at first, but I think they tell an important story about the market we were experiencing.
More Homes, More Choices
Total housing inventory across Acadiana increased by just under 3% compared with January 2025. New construction inventory also increased, rising approximately 4.7%.
Now, when people hear that inventory is increasing, there’s sometimes an assumption that the market must be slowing down. But an increase in available homes isn’t necessarily a bad thing, particularly when buyer activity is increasing alongside it.
For buyers, more inventory means more choices. And after several years when finding the right house could feel like a race against the clock, having more opportunities to compare properties can be a welcome change.
For sellers, it means understanding the competition becomes even more important. Your house isn’t being evaluated in isolation. Buyers are looking at other homes in the same price range, comparing features and condition, and deciding which property offers the best value.
I’ve always said that we don’t get to choose our competition when we list a house. We have to understand what’s already available and position the property accordingly.
Buyers Were Doing More Than Looking
One of the more encouraging parts of January’s report was the increase in buyer activity.
Pending sales rose nearly 18% compared with January 2025, while closed sales increased more than 10%. Buyer showings were also up 14.5%.
That’s a meaningful combination of numbers.
Showings tell us people are out looking at properties. Pending sales tell us buyers and sellers are reaching agreements. Closed sales tell us transactions are making it through the process.
When all three increase, it’s reasonable to say there was more activity in the market than during the same month a year earlier.
Of course, that doesn’t mean every listing was receiving multiple offers or that every buyer was having trouble finding a house. Real estate is far too local for those kinds of generalizations.
But it does remind us that people were still making moves.
Families were relocating, buying their first homes, looking for more space, and making decisions about what the next chapter of their lives would look like.
I think we sometimes forget that the real estate market is made up of people whose lives continue moving forward regardless of what interest rates or national headlines are doing.
Home Prices Continued to Move Higher
Median sold prices for resale homes increased nearly 2% year over year, while new construction prices rose approximately 1.4%.
Those aren’t dramatic increases, but they’re worth paying attention to.
I think one of the challenges with conversations about home prices is that people tend to think in terms of the entire market moving together. If they hear that prices increased 2%, they may assume their own home is worth 2% more than it was a year ago.
But that’s not necessarily how it works.
The median sold price reflects the middle of the homes that sold during a particular period. It can be influenced by the mix of properties being purchased, including their sizes, locations, ages, and price ranges.
A home in central Lafayette may be experiencing different conditions from a newer property in Youngsville. And even within the same neighborhood, the condition of a home and the competition available can make a significant difference.
The report also showed sellers receiving approximately 97% to 99% of their asking prices, depending on the market segment.
That’s a useful statistic, but it’s important to remember that the sale-to-list price ratio doesn’t tell us everything about a transaction. It doesn’t necessarily account for previous price reductions, negotiated concessions, or repairs.
It’s one piece of the puzzle, not the entire picture.
Why Some Homes Were Taking Longer to Sell
Even with stronger buyer activity, days on market increased modestly in the resale segment.
I think this is one of the most important things for homeowners to understand.
More buyers in the market doesn’t automatically mean every house sells quickly. When buyers have more choices, they can afford to be more selective. They’re looking closely at condition, location, price, and the overall value a property offers.
I’ve had conversations with sellers who understandably wonder why a house down the street sold quickly while another property has been sitting for months. Sometimes the answer is price. Sometimes it’s condition, presentation, or the differences between the properties themselves.
And sometimes it’s a combination of several things.
That’s why I don’t believe there’s a one-size-fits-all approach to selling a home.
A property that’s priced competitively and presented well may attract attention relatively quickly. Another home may need a different strategy, particularly if it’s competing against newer construction or several similar listings.
The absorption rate also declined slightly year over year, according to the original report. Taken together with the increase in inventory and sales activity, that reinforces why we need to evaluate multiple indicators rather than drawing conclusions from any single statistic.
New Construction Was Part of the Story
New construction continued to play an important role in Acadiana’s housing market during January.
The report showed double-digit increases in pending and closed new construction sales, a slight improvement in days on market, and relatively stable prices.
That’s worth considering whether you’re buying a home or preparing to sell one.
For buyers, new construction may offer features, floor plans, warranties, or financing incentives that make it worth comparing with existing homes. But that doesn’t mean new construction is automatically the better choice. Location, lot size, construction quality, total costs, and personal preferences all matter.
For sellers of existing homes, new construction can be a significant source of competition, particularly in neighborhoods and price ranges where builders are active.
And that’s one more reason I believe it’s important to understand the market surrounding a specific property rather than relying exclusively on regional statistics.
What January Told Us About Acadiana Real Estate
Looking back at January 2026, I see a market that started the year with more activity than the previous January.
Inventory increased, but so did showings, pending sales, and closings. Median prices continued to rise modestly, while some resale properties took longer to sell.
To me, that isn’t a story about a market being completely in favor of buyers or sellers. It’s a reminder that the details matter.
If you’re selling, you need to understand your competition, how buyers are responding to similar homes, and what it will take to position your property effectively.
If you’re buying, you need to understand your options, your budget, and how much negotiating room may exist in the particular market you’re shopping.
And if you’re simply curious about the value of your home, you deserve more than a broad regional average or an automated estimate.
That’s why I enjoy these monthly market reports. They give us a starting point for better conversations and more informed decisions.
I also put together a look at the full previous year in my 2025 Acadiana Real Estate Market Year in Review. It’s helpful context for understanding where the market stood as we entered 2026.
Whether you’re planning a move or just keeping an eye on the market, I’m always happy to talk through what the numbers mean for your particular neighborhood.
Because the market is more than a collection of statistics. It’s the people, homes, and communities behind those numbers that make this business interesting.
Hey Hey, it’s John Ray!
John Ray Perkins III is a Lafayette, Louisiana REALTOR®, founder of The John Ray Group, and a storyteller at heart. After nearly 20 years in youth and family ministry, John Ray brought his passion for people, relationships, and community into real estate in 2019. Today, he helps families navigate one of life’s biggest decisions while sharing stories, local insights, and a little South Louisiana humor along the way. A husband, father of four, and proud Acadiana local, John Ray believes real estate is about more than houses. It’s about people, their stories, and the places they call home.
Hey Hey, It’s John Ray!